Title: Eclipse... Ooh, Tingly!
Recap of last chapter: "First, I going to eat breakfast. Then I'm going to train for the Quidditch game this afternoon so I can beat Potter's arse before I die. What I do after that, I'm not going to tell you."
"B-but the potion!" She stuttered. "It's due in three months! We have to start brewing it soon and find the correct ingredients! Who knows how long that'll take?!"
"I-do-not-give-a-donkey's-ass about that right now." He turned on his heels and marched out the portrait hole before Hermione could utter another word.
Chapter Four- The List Begins
Hermione arrived at the Great Hall ten minutes later. Many students were still there eating their breakfast, but one particular student, Draco Malfoy was nowhere to be seen.
Didn't he say he was going to eat breakfast? She thought, befuddled. Surely, he couldn't have ate that fast.
She waved at Harry and Ron from the entrance. I rather not ask Harry or Ron if they have seen Malfoy. She grimed, walking to the table.
"Hermione," Harry greeted as the Head-Girl came to sit down across from him, dumping her bag of books and notes onto the table. "Today is Saturday, what's with all those stuff?"
"Homework." Came her reply.
"Hey Hermione." Ron said through a mouthful of pancakes. "What you been up to?"
"Been working on Snape's potion with Malfoy. I tell you, it is utterly terrible working with that bloody git. He's disappeared this morning." Hermione frowned. "He said he was going to practice for the Quidditch game this afternoon—wait, shouldn't you guys start practicing too?"
"We will." Harry promised.
"Even if we don't practice, we'll still win. Harry will catch the Snitch and beat Malfoy, like always, won't you buddy?" Ron patted his friend on the back.
"It's good that you're confident." Hermione said, reaching for the plate of toast. "But I think you should practice."
She spooned a piece of butter with her knife and started to spread it around her toast. "So how is your Potion coming along?"
Ron dropped his fork at the mention of his assignment. Hermione raised a curious eyebrow.
"Snape is bloody mad for assigning different houses to work together. Goyle is bloody mad!" The Weasley screamed. "That boy can't do anything but eat!"
Harry looked at Ron, sending him a look of sympathy. "Sorry, mate. Parkinson isn't as bad. Yeah, she's horrible, but she's alright in Potions."
"At least she knows the difference between eating food and eating Potions ingredients." Ron muttered.
Hermione shook her head, feeling a bit of the boys' pain. "You know the potion is due in three months right? One of the ingredients required for the potion needs to be brewed for the full three months. And the others is added directly on full moon."
Ron paled, if it was possible since the boy is always red. "Holy shit."
Harry stood up, grabbing Ron by his arm. "We have to practice for the game."
Hermione finished her breakfast and made way to the library, carrying all of her Potions notes. "Can't even depend on that damn Slytherin git." She murmured under her breath.
She came into the library, walked towards the back, in her usual desolate corner where it is mostly quiet and no one can bother her while she studies. Dumping her bag onto the table, she suddenly remembered that her book was left back in her room. Cursing to herself for her forgetfulness, she walked quickly back to her room.
The portrait of the dancing gnomes swung open and Hermione emerged into the common room. Her book was tossed aside on the couch instead of being neatly placed in her room.
How did it get here? She wondered, picking up the book. Her eyes brushed pass Malfoy's door, which was slightly ajar and her curiosity rose. Hmm... I wonder...
Looking around to make sure Malfoy wouldn't suddenly jump out from thin air and scare the living daylights out of her; Hermione crept silently to his room.
This is not technically an invasion of his privacy. His door was open. She thought. She pushed the door open a bit farther. Really far opened.
He can't blame me for being nosy. I mean, his room is tempting me to look through it.
She tiptoed into the room and peered around, looking to see if anything further raised her inquisitiveness. Looks like the house elves cleaned his room and the water droplets (was it really water?) cleaned off his mirror. Sloppy prick.
Hermione wiggled her nose with disgust. The air smells like a Slytherin.
She walked to Malfoy's table, looking at his pile of notes, but a small piece of paper tucked between the pages of his Herbology book caught her eye. She tugged the folded paper out and looked out the door, making sure Malfoy was not there or he would be furthermore pissed off that she was looking through his stuff. But a girl can't help herself, can she? After all, this stuff belongs to Malfoy, DRACO MALFOY. Merlin knows what his boy keeps. Hermione cautiously unfolded the paper with chariness as if it would burst into flames and scorch her prying eyes.
The paper was unraveled and Hermione's eyes could see as clear as day.
Good, She thought. Malfoy didn't charm the paper. But then again... it's not like it's anything important, right?
Hermione read the top line and her lips stretched into a mischievous smirk.
Things To Do Before I Die List
She chuckled, thinking of all the brilliant ways she could blackmail Malfoy for all the six years of hell he had put her through. Her eyes brushed pass the second line, written as:
1. Beat Potter in Quidditch
Hermione rolled her eyes, but deep down she knew that Malfoy had the will and determination and if he tries harder, he might succeed. But then again, she also wants her house to win. She moved on to the second objective.
2. Have revenge on Granger for beating me in academics
She snorted. It was certainly not her fault if she has more brains than the git. Shaking her head at Malfoy's delirious goal, she continued on to the next one.
3. Tell Snape how I really feel about him
Hmm, I wonder... how does Malfoy REALLY feel about his favorite teacher? Hermione smiled.
She went on to the next number.
4. Have a threesome with Japanese twins.
Hermione looked at the fourth one, disgusted with the majority of the male population. Honestly, men these days!
Haven't I seen that like somewhere? She wondered. I know it's something that has to do with gold... a gold member thingy...
She shook her head; ridding her mind of the 'nasty' thoughts number four had filled her precious brain with.
5. Tell Voldemort that he's a bloody wanker
Hermione was shocked. She was positively sure that Malfoy would follow in his father's footsteps... Although the older Malfoy is deceased, Voldemort is still at large. How can this be? Malfoy doesn't want to be He-who-must- not-be-name's right hand sidekick?
She read the next one and gasped, her mouth dropping quite closely to the floor with shock. She couldn't believe it! Malfoy? Merlin.
Suddenly, the sound of the portrait swinging shut was heard. Hermione jumped, almost dropping the paper out of her hands. She quickly folded the paper and jammed it into the Herbology book. She frantically looked around the room, trying to find a place to hide. If Malfoy sees her, she's dead! Going for the old hide-in-the-closet routine, she prayed that Malfoy or whoever it was would not go looking in the closet.
Malfoy stepped into the room not a second too soon. He held his broom in his hand, the latest edition, Fire Blaze 3000. He glanced around the room, his eyes lingering on his closet door.
Hermione held her breath. Please do not look in here... Please do not look in here.
Now where the hell did I leave my Quidditch uniform? Malfoy wondered. He took a small step to the closet.
She looked through the little crack that shed some light into the obscure tiny room. Hermione felt something. I think something is in here...
I could've sworn I heard something... He stepped a bit closer to the closet door. He reached for the doorknob, his fingers almost touching the brass surface.
The Head-Girl closed her eyes, readying herself to be discovered and hear Malfoy's blood-curling scream and his symphony of colorful curses thrown at her. She waited. One. Two. Three. She peeked out through one eye, staring at the door. It never came.
However, it was to her most unfortunate luck that she felt something was ticking her neck. It was furry or perhaps hairy. Either way, it was very much hirsute. She could not move much for the closet was quite clammed up. Making the slightest movement could create the loudest noise. Hermione did not want that nor did she want the busy thing brushing against her neck. The girl had to bite down her tongue to avoid letting out a deafening scream.
Malfoy hesitated to turn the doorknob; the growling emitted from his stomach distracted him. Damn, I'm hungry.
He left the closet alone, thinking that the stress of all the things he needed to do and his growing hunger had created delusions. He turned away, walking to his table and grabbing the piece of paper that he stuck in his Herbology book this morning. With one last glance around his room, Malfoy trotted out the door.
Hermione waited until she heard the swing of the portrait open and closed before she made any attempt to move. She let out a sigh of relief and pushed the door open. The hairy presence had dropped onto the floor and Hermione realized it was nothing but an old stuffed bear. She jammed the bear back into the closet and scuttled out the room before any other surprises jump out and give her any more near-heart-attacks experiences.
Hermione munched on an Eclipse gum as she skimmed through her Potions notes. She flipped through the countless pages as she wondered why the potion doesn't work as it should.
Okay, I added bat's wing... then some glowing oak trunks... Hermione was stump for once. Malfoy is lucky he has the Quidditch game for an excuse or I would've dragged his arse here to help me!
She had tried every combination that she assumed would work, but the potion Hermione and Draco was making was quite complicated. Prof. Snape had given them the required potion ingredients for the potion and they were to research one of the many potions that have these ingredients. After numerous arguing and screaming, the pair finally decided on the Latentia Potion, which makes the drinker temporarily invisible or hidden, for approximately two hours.
The book Snape had given them was erased of two very important ingredients and it was their duty to find the two remaining components. So far, they were unsuccessful. Hermione slammed the book shut, obviously defeated for only a minor second when she suddenly opened the book again.
Of course! She thought, excited. The potion is not brewing like it should because it lacks the properties of the Gondara root! But where can I find that?
However, Hermione was skeptical. She wasn't sure if she was right and the only way to prove her wrong was to test out her theory. Unfortunately, the Gondara root was unexceptionally rare and extremely difficult to find.
She sighed heavily. Her thoughts were back on Malfoy. His Things To Do Before I Die List had amazing surprised her. Well, besides the whole "beat Potter in Quidditch and have revenge on Granger", even the "have threesome with Japanese twins" was emblematic of Malfoy. But everything else was so disparate of him. And his number six on his list, goodness, that really hit the nail.
I feel so bad lying to him. Hermione frowned, her eyebrows dewed together in thought. I'll find him now and tell him.
She got up from her seat and set out the library door in search of Malfoy. Her first stop was the Great Hall. No luck. She decided to go back to their common room, but he wasn't there either. Quidditch field? No, the Gryffindors are practicing there. Where is that bloody wanker when you need him?!
Whenever she couldn't stand his presence and didn't him there, he was always there! Now that she was looking for him, he's disappeared off the face of the earth!
"I can't believe you dragged me into this!" Pansy glared at him. "What are you doing!"
Malfoy disregard her complaints as he continued to walk on ahead.
"Draco! You come back here!"
Malfoy turned around, frowning. "I didn't drag you. I asked you. You didn't have to come." He turned back around. "Stop complaining or leave."
"And let you have all the fun? Hell no!" She jogged to catch up with Malfoy's quick strides. "So what are you doing?"
Malfoy didn't answer right way.
"Did you hear me? I asked you what you're doing!"
"Something I really wanted to do."
"And what's that?"
"You'll see."
TBC.
Please remember to rate/review! .Author's Note: Thank you for reading. Hugs to all my reviewers! You're all soooooo very wonderful! I won't be updating for three weeks, possibly more. I'll be away. =( Everyone have a fun summer.
"Have threesome with Japanese twins" - This was from Austin Powers Goldmember movie. It was hilarious. :D. No, sadly, I don't own that either. Some big movie-company do. XD